More Verbatim Reviews From Last Year’s Starting Your Voiceover Business class
John Pellegrini
“WOW is the only way I can sum up this last night as well as all the nights of the past 4 weeks that I have spent listening to your combined wisdom in this industry!
“Fantastic advice – especially about unions and corporate signatories! I had been in AFTRA and was hoping to get back in with my voiceover work and this info has given me a whole new optimism about making that possibility happen!
“Thanks so much for being so generous with your knowledge – it’s worth five times what I’ve paid up to now and I am definitely going to put everything I’ve learned into action!”
Renee Geiger
“Harlan and Dan: Thank you for the time and effort you placed into this educational opportunity. Each week I was able to learn something new, even if the subject was something already familiar. The teleclass was easy to follow (great voices, great documentation), assignments kept me focused on the goal, and the Q&A and bonus calls all contributed to a very worthwhile experience.”
Joe Fedele
“Thanks so much for offering Starting Your Voiceover Business. This is a class that I would recommend to anyone of my friends inside and outside radio who want to establish their own voiceover business. You really broke the parts of the business down into bite size sections that were easy to understand and made them a lot less overwhelming. Even the ‘asides’ and stream of consciousness comments were full of great information.
“I know that the road to this successful business will be tough, but this step by step approach gives us a great roadmap!”
Heather Jane Hogan
“Every week I am more and more impressed with the knowledge you guys have of this business. If only one of you were teaching, this would be a great course, BUT because you’re both teaching it simultaneously, the synergistic information makes this course a cut above the rest.”
Scott Lucas
“As this class winds to its conclusion, I would like to send you my personal review of the class overall. It is important to explain my ‘situation’ and background so you can better appreciate my perspective.
“I came to this class without any professional voiceover experience, very little technical know-how, almost non-existent training and no real idea of what it took to start and maintain a voiceover business. The only elements I did bring to this course were a deep thrill and love for the use of a talent and some innate abilities to read copy. In other words, I believe I could be the most unprepared and inexperienced student of your course.
“In regards to your original goals, (to guide and help students learn the first steps necessary in this unique business), I believe you have succeeded incredibly. Rarely does one find a class that is more direct, candid, forthright, honest, information rich, practical, selfless and useful as yours has been. And the mp3 recordings of each class will become an invaluable resource in the near future. As my knowledge increases and my skills enhance, I will be able to listen once again with a renewed vigor to all the classes we held. I absolutely feel my feet have been planted on firm soil, and I actually know where to take my first thoughtful steps as I begin to make a dream a reality.
“Thank you for your well prepared and meaningful course. Action truly is the key, even if it is a small step (learning computer skills, networking potential clients, meeting other VO professionals, etc.) if taken continually you will arrive at your destination. Thank you again, for the inspiration and information.”
John Watts
“This class has been the best and also the scariest step I’ve taken toward my VO career. This has been an enlightening course. I have a lot of work to do. I have learned a LOT and I plan on putting it into motion.”
Ashley Huyge
(From an email we received earlier this month….}
“I’m very sorry to have missed the tele-seminar reunion you held, but I would love to tell you where I am now and how your class helped to make that possible.
“When I took your class last year I was living in Upstate New York, having graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a degree in theatre arts. I had been checking out tele-seminars and things like that because traveling to study VO was a bit out of my price range, and most of the people in my area didn’t even know what VO was, so trying to study it was pretty tough. I had decided that I was going to move to NYC, live with friends and get my feet on the ground so I could study VO and start getting to work.
“Well, then I took your class, and hearing Harlan mention Los Angeles really resonated with me. I had an interest in animation VO and I really liked the idea of living somewhere much warmer. So I decided that I’d give Los Angeles a try instead.
“A couple weeks after I moved, I landed an internship with a recording studio. I believe it was your suggestion, Dan, that looking for volunteer work in a studio was a great way to gain experience, and I can’t tell you how right you were. I worked with some pretty cool people and through happy circumstance, I have been fortunate enough to be added to the roster of a non-union agency based in Los Angeles. I’ve been auditioning regularly with them and I’ve even voiced a couple jobs with them. I’ve been extremely fortunate in my big move out West.
“Now, I believe that we are the masters of our decisions and no one can make us do anything, but I know that I wouldn’t have considered moving to Los Angeles if I hadn’t taken the class you and Harlan taught and I’d like to thank you both. You had a lot of powerful insight into marketing, auditioning and the business of VO that was of particular value to someone like me who is just starting out.”
(Note: To pursue a voiceover career, you do NOT need to move to Los Angeles.)
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Hi Dan,
Just wanted to mention that since the voiceover class I have started doing sound recording for film here in Michigan and that has lead to a number of voiceover gigs for ADR and narration (ADR being a fancy term for ‘dubbing’). I’ve also been helping with coaching other actors in doing ADR for film. You and Harlan were definitely right that there’s plenty of work in areas outside the traditional voiceover field (radio & television).
I feel like I’m on the couch, and you’re about to bring up my claustrophobia, Doc. You’re 100% right in my opinion.
@John: Congratulations, John! Yeah, we keep telling people that VO websites aren’t the only — or, often, the best — places to find work….
you’re right with every word you say and I really (I mean REALLY really) thought about joining the class. Unfortunately it’s worthless for me this year, because I’m in Canada in May. I would miss too much of the class.
Maybe next year!? Or will there be another class this year? No? That’s sad.
I’m not quite sure why you believe your video to be offensive? However, this came to me at a perfect time for a friend of mine (I didn’t know you did voice over work seminars!). She is currently seeking a career in voice over work. She doesn’t know where to go from here, because so many doors have slammed in her face. I’ve sent her a link to your video – I hope she takes advantage of what you have to offer. Tx!!!
Listened to the video and you couldn’t have been more accurate and honest about ‘Decision making’. It holds you back from chasing your dreams, doing what you want to be doing and ultimately, from being ‘HAPPY.’! That just happens to be my biggest weakness…although I am working on it daily and getting much better.
Fortunately, I made the decision to STOP talking about being a voice actor 5 yrs ago and did it! I am living my dream (have been for 1 1/2 yrs), working full time in the VO business and loving it!
I didn’t find it one bit offensive but rather thought provoking. I live in a very small market and am basically semi-retired but still working at my home station. Hadn’t given voice over a thought one way or the other. However, I really identified with your move from tape and splice to digital.
I was our news director for 17 years and I took great pride in the fact
I could edit out a “uh” with a razor blade and splicing tape. And
you’re also right I look at a lot of the new technology with more than a
bit of fear.
@Stephan: We definitely won’t be teaching this class again this year. Maybe in May of 2011, but not guaranteed.
One thing you should know: When we decided to offer this class the first time, we also decided that the tuition for each subsequent year would be higher (to reward the people who take action).
So last year it was $495; this year it’s $795 (and, of course, improved over our first year; it’s not as though we’re ripping people off).
Next year probably will be $995, if we decide to offer the class again.
@Natalie: Calling some people liars does offend some of them. And some people don’t like being told the excuses they’ve been using are…just excuses.
And probably some people just think I shouldn’t ever be in front of a video camera…
@Matt: Nice going! Glad you took action!
I liked the video because it was very similar to my situation. In 1999
my current career (printing) was going to be obsolete. I had a small
recording studio in my basement and was doing freelance sound work.
I knew digital was the way of the future and if I wanted to continue
freelance, I’d have to adapt. My wife suggested I take some classes in
digital editing/recording. I was scared I wouldn’t understand it and as
I was already in my mid-30’s I didn’t want to look like an idiot in
front of some hot shot kids. The classes were actually the 100 level
radio courses. 2 years later I stepped out of college and into radio. My
only regret is I didn’t do it sooner.
This video was great and so so true, everything looks so hard at first but if we just try, we find out we can do it, and sometimes even enjoy the journey.
I took the Class with last year, and loved it. When I signed up, I was getting frustrated with auditioning and not getting anything – so I thought about what you guys said about things involved with VO can get your foot in the door. My husband who is an extremely good editor, started working with me to learn ProTools and Adobe Audition – we started doing editing for other VO artists and a couple of production companies that farm out their editing. At first I’m sure the work was all overflow -stuff they didn’t want to do or didn’t have time to do – but once they heard how good we are they have started giving us more projects. We’ve handled almost all types of VO work now and I was really surprised at the different styles and types of voices in the projects we get.
What does all this mean, you say?
It made me really understand that it all comes down to being in the right place, which means if you don’t get yourself out there – you can never be in the right place. None of these people come knocking on your door till they know what you can do. So you have to DO. And DO – until you do get something. Harlan wasn’t kidding when he said 90% of the work is getting the work.
Bottom Line to this is I don’t think I would have even looked around at anything other than strict VO work – if you and Harlan hadn’t covered that in the class. I would have gotten discouraged and started working at some “not so fun” job. I would never have had the opportunity to hear so many different “working” voices – which led me to finally understand what you guys told us in class – (but for some reason it didn’t sink in) — Even one of your homework assignments was to listen to other talent, which I did – but I didn’t get it. Now I do, and I do think it finally hit me because I could look back on all the valuable information you guys gave us. Simply loads and loads of stuff I’ve used almost daily.
So thank you again. I’m tempted to sign up again since I’m sure you’ve updated stuff. But I’ll just re-listen to my copies of the last class you sent to us. Any chance previous class members could get in on just New Bonus Calls? Those rocked!
Thank you again for everything – you guys made a big difference in my career and career choices.
One more update, Dan – I just auditioned today for an on-camera film role based on the fact that I have experience in voiceover. If I get the part I’ll let you know what happened and how (no sense relating details if I don’t get the part). But here’s the thing… I wasn’t seeking an on-camera role, it came about because I was pursuing voiceover work . You never know what is going to lead to what.